The Toronto City Council voted overwhelming Friday to strip some powers from Mayor Rob Ford, who has admitted smoking crack in a boozy stupor, buying illegal drugs and driving drunk — but has defiantly refused to resign.

The lawmakers have no authority to remove Ford from office but are considering a series of motions in three special meetings Friday and Monday that would transfer some of his authority to the deputy mayor.

“Obviously I can’t support this and I have no other options but to challenge this in court,” Ford said.

But he added, “I completely understand where they’re coming from.” And later he said, “If I would have had a mayor acting the way I’ve conducted myself I would have done the same thing.”